


Spread Your Wings

by huniths-muse (sopaltenbass)



Series: Heirs of Albion [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Dragonlord Merlin (Merlin), M/M, Powerful Merlin (Merlin), merthurweek2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:08:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28258209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sopaltenbass/pseuds/huniths-muse
Summary: Merlin begins to heal Aithusa from all she suffered during her time with Morgana. Benjy helps.Written for MerthurWeek2020 Day 2: "I'm so proud of you" + Established relationship
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Heirs of Albion [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1838926
Comments: 4
Kudos: 83





	Spread Your Wings

**Author's Note:**

> Written within my HoAverse. Set two years after the epilogue of HoA: Destinies.

Arthur, Leon, Gwaine, Percival, and Merlin watched from a distance. Merlin had called Aithusa, and she couldn't resist a Dragonlord's call, even though Merlin knew she hated it. It made him so unspeakably sad that she had known so much mistreatment in her short life already. They'd brought Benjy along for this reason. To many, it would seem the height of recklessness to expose a four-year-old to a dangerous beast like a literal, fire-breathing dragon, but the small boy and the dragon had built a strong friendship. Merlin knew Aithusa would never harm his son of her own free will.

At first, the presence of so many had unnerved Aithusa, but she calmed down considerably on seeing her playmate there among them. The two had rolled around on the grass for a time, playing until they were both tired out. It was only then that Merlin cast a look at his husband and friends, warning them without words to stay back, and let whatever might happen happen. Benjy cradled Aithusa's head in his lap, stroking her scales as the young dragon trembled at Merlin's approach.

"It's all right. No one's going to hurt you. Papa's going to try to fix your wing."

Aithusa looked up at the small boy. There was fear and anxiety in her gaze, but there was trust there too, a trust born of long hours spent with this little boy who would one day be her Dragonlord. Benjy stroked her head again, and the dragon relaxed, letting out a quiet grunt, as she settled completely beside him, her eyes drifting shut.

"Thank you, little one," Merlin told his son. "She's more comfortable with you than she's been with me since she came back from her time with Morgana. She's only ever known kindness from you, and I fear I've needed to be quite firm with her in the past."

"Can you help her, Papa?" Benjy's voice was high and soft so as not to wake his now slumbering playmate.

"I think so," Merlin said. He glanced over to the knights and Arthur. "Leon and Percival, get the fire going. Gwaine, in my bag there's a bundle of chamomile and lavender. Add it to the flames once they get going."

Benjy looked up at his papa, as Merlin's eyes glowed gold, sending the dragon into a deeper sleep. "Will it hurt her when you fix her?"

"I'm afraid so, but I hope it will stop the pain she feels almost all the time now. Courage, little one," Merlin added, seeing tears brimming in the little boy's eyes. "Be brave for her. If she feels that you are calm, it will help her stay calm too."

Merlin smelled the sweet scent of the chamomile and lavender newly added to the fire. It was time. He closed his eyes, summoning his deepest magic.

_"Gehǣl rihtne that fiþere"_

Aithusa shuddered and let out a low groan in her sleep. Merlin took her crooked wing in his hands, massaging, palpating, feeling the bone structure. He'd never healed an ill-set bone in a creature before, but he thought, the principle must be the same as in a man. He repeated the incantation, feeling as the bones in the wing changed under his fingers as he did so. The dragon jerked. Benjy let out a stifled cry.

"It's all right, little one. It's working. Nearly there."

"You're hurting her, Papa," Benjy sniffled.

"I know, Benjy, baby. I'm sorry. I truly am. I think just once more should do the trick though," Merlin said, smoothing his son's hair back from his brow, and cupping his cheek. "Will you let me do it one more time?"

Benjy inhaled sharply through his nose as he nodded. He lowered his head to rest against the young dragon's head. "Just one more time, Aifusa. It's all right. I'm here."

Merlin's heart swelled with pride at his little boy. He would make a wonderful healer, and a compassionate Dragonlord, when it came time to pass the title on to him. He took Aithusa's wing in hand once more, laying it out flat, or as flat as it would go, as if she were in flight rather than lying on the ground. He glanced at his son.

"Ready?"

Benjy nodded.

_"Gehǣl rihtne that fiþere,"_ he ground out, summoning all his Dragonlord authority along with his magic. When his vision cleared, he saw the wing lying flat, and wisps of smoke rising from Aithusa's nostrils as she slept on.

"It's done," Merlin called over to the knights. "You can put out the fire now." He looked back at his son, who was still wrapped around the dragon. Benjy stared up at his papa with his big blue eyes, so like his father's. "She should be much better now, little one. She should be able to fly without pain, and soon, we can begin teaching her to speak."

"She's really better, Papa?"

"Yes, little one. The incantation worked, thank the gods."

Benjy lowered Aithusa's head to the ground gently, then threw his arms around his papa's neck.

"Thank you, Papa," he mumbled into Merlin's shoulder squeezing him tight in his little arms. Merlin picked him up, and walked back toward the knights and Arthur. His husband wrapped the two of them in an embrace of his own.

"You're amazing, love. I knew you could do it." He let them go, and Merlin put Benjy down so he could hurry over to where the other knights stood at a respectable distance, allowing Arthur and Merlin their privacy.

"Then you knew more than I did. I mean, I knew the theory, but I didn't know if it would work." Arthur let out a bellowing laugh, making the knights glance in their direction, and Aithusa awakened with a start.

"Shush," Merlin chided. "What was that for, anyway?"

"You," Arthur said. "You're 'the greatest sorcerer to walk the earth,' and you never believe in yourself." Merlin's cheeks went pink, and he refused to meet Arthur's eye, so Arthur took his chin and tilted his face up again.

"You are so much more than I deserve, Merlin. I love you, so much." He drew Merlin in closer, and their lips met in a sweet, reassuring kiss. Merlin melted into him.

"Ewwwww, Father!"

They broke apart, both laughing at Benjy's indignation. Aithusa had gotten to her feet, and was testing her newly straightened wing. She flapped both wings and soared into the air with ease. She let out a joyful shriek as she circled the clearing twice.

"Go, Aithusa," Merlin told her. "Learn how it feels to be whole again."

The dragon swooped low over them ruffling their hair as she flew, and then took a course to the north. Merlin knew she wouldn't go far, and she'd always be just a call away. He beamed around at all of them, as he mounted his horse.

"Come on," Arthur said, "It's time we headed home."

**Author's Note:**

> Merlin's incantation - Gehǣl rihtne that fiþere - is Old English meaning approximately, "Heal the wing straight."


End file.
